Changmin stayed in his room, frozen in the way he was sitting, tears running down his face, for gods knew how long. He had no choice but to remember the horror of the night when it happened, which was awful in itself, but when he imagined his son in the same situation, he was quite literally sick to his stomach.

So he stumbled out of his room, waving away the aid of a servant coming to his side.

"Where did they take Chanhyung," managed Changmin.

"They are in the East Wing," replied the servant, and swallowing to force the vomit back down, Changmin ran as fast as his body would let him to the east wing.

When he was about to enter the wing, though, Changmin was stopped by a couple of guards – the same ones that had come to take Chanhyung.

"Let me through," said Changmin, voice shaking.

"They are not to be disturbed."

"Please, they're – they're –"

"Mihwa," said the guard firmly. "Return to your quarters. We have been given strict orders not to let anyone through, and that includes you."

Changmin stepped back, because as much as he wasn't in his right mind, he knew that the guards were there to follow orders, and Changmin would not override any order that they were given.

But there was someone who could override those orders, and so Changmin turned around and ran; he ran to Yunho's bedroom in panic.

Changmin was the only person that Yunho had given permission to enter his bedroom at any given moment without having to declare himself or ask for permission. Changmin rarely took advantage of it, going through the proper protocol so that they would not raise too many eyebrows, but today, Changmin didn't have time. Chanhyung didn't have time.

So Changmin barged in, stumbling inside and out or breath.

"Yunho," gasped Changmin, face shining with tears. "Please help me, please –"

Yunho was undressed and been in bed already, and evidently had been waiting for Changmin in his side of the bed.

"Changmin?" said Yunho, sitting up with a frown. "What's wrong?"

"Chanhyung. They're – they're – hurting him, please –"

"Who's hurting him?" said Yunho, getting out of bed. "What's going on?"

"It's his Night of Rites, Yunho, please – please help me stop –"

Yunho froze for a moment when he heard the words, looking much like Changmin had when the guards had taken Chanhyung away.

But a few moments later, Yunho came to a different conclusion.

"Changmin, come here," said Yunho, opening his arms.

Changmin shook his head, because Yunho had to go with Changmin, now, to stop the horrors that were happening to Chanhyung. "Yunho, there's no time –"

"Come here, pretty Mihwa," said Yunho, and with the use of the title, Changmin was put in his place, and so he did as he was told.

"Yes, Master," said Changmin ever so slightly impatiently. He went close enough to Yunho for Yunho to take him into his arms.

"Baby… I know. I know it must be hard, but this is all part of it," said Yunho.

Changmin had begun nodding, but then when the meaning of the words registered, Changmin looked up, pushed himself away a bit. "What – What are you saying?"

"Changmin, you went through this, and so did your father, and so did his father," said Yunho. "I know, it's awful, but it's all part of becoming a Mihwa, and Chanhyung has to go through the Rites too, to serve Sungjun."

"You think Chanhyung has to be before he can serve Sungjun?" cried Changmin in disbelief. "Yunho, he's already a better Mihwa to Sungjun than I've ever been for you, and –"

"Baby, keep your voice down, there are guards and servants outside and I don't want to have to punish you," said Yunho. "Changmin –"

"Please," begged Changmin. More tears slid down his face as he slid down to his knees. "Master, please. Please, please help my son."

"I can't, Changmin," said Yunho quietly. "I'm sorry."

"Master…"

Changmin had just begun to press his forehead to the floor when Yunho grabbed his wrists and pulled him up. "Changmin, get up. Chanhyung will make it through this, and so will you."

"I love my son," whispered Changmin.

"I know. I love him too, and it hurts me what he's going through," sighed Yunho, trying to settle Changmin into his lap. "But he has to do this. You had to do this. That why I couldn't stop them from hurting you, even back then."

Changmin didn't know how to express the amount of betrayal he felt, but he was sure Chanhyung was feeling much, much more betrayed than he was.

Changmin had wanted to make his way back to the East Wing to try to help Chanhyung himself if Yunho wouldn't help, but Yunho didn't let Changmin leave his room – probably because he knew that if Changmin left, he would make a scene large enough to stop Chanhyung's Rites, and then Yunho would have no choice but to punish Changmin publicly.

Yunho had to almost physically hold Changmin down the whole time. He made sure that Changmin was there when he sent a servant to the East Wing to inform them as soon as Chanhyung was finished.

It was torturous, being forced to stay in Yunho's room, even if Yunho was cuddling him. So it felt like it was centuries later when the servant returned to say that she had just seen Chanhyung leave the East Wing.

Changmin barely even waited for the servant to finish her report before ripping away from Yunho's arms and running to Chanhyung, even with Yunho calling his name from behind him.

Changmin choked up again when he found his son limping aimlessly from the East Wing. They clearly hadn't even had the decency to make sure Chanhyung was fully clothed before pushing him out of the room, because Chanhyung was holding his outer robes around his sagged shoulders still as he trudged on slowly tiredly. 

Chanhyung didn't even notice Changmin coming to his side until Changmin was very near.

"Chanhyung," choked out Changmin.

Chanhyung stopped in his tracks and looked up at Changmin, slowly.

"D-Dad," he whispered blankly. "I – I… They…"

The sparkle in Chanhyung's eyes were completely gone to be replaced by blank, dark eyes that Changmin had never seen on his son. Chanhyung was looking at Changmin, but so blankly that he seemed to almost look right through Changmin.

"Chanhyung," said Changmin, his heart breaking. "I'm so sorry."

Chanhyung looked away, and Changmin could only imagine how betrayed his son must be feeling. Changmin took off his own outer robe and just had enough time to wrap it around his son before Yunho arrived. Neither Changmin nor Chanhyung had enough wits to even acknowledge Yunho, never mind bow to him.

"Let's get you to bed," managed Changmin. He had begun to walk his son to his bedroom, but Chanhyung stopped only a few seconds later with a shudder.

"D…Dad, I… I think I need a bath."

"Oh, honey," sighed Changmin, the hair on his own skin raising with how much horror Chanhyung must have gone through.

"Use my bathhouse," offered Yunho, but Chanhyung shook his head.

"N-No, I'll be fine in my father's – f-father's –"

He then seemed to finally register that the King was next to him, and after looking at Yunho's face in fear for a few seconds, he dropped to the ground on his knees and bowed his head. "Y-Your Majesty –"

"Chanhyung, it's okay, you don't have to," said Yunho, patting Chanhyung's head. "Let's get you somewhere comfortable – and warm –"

Chanhyung was shaking. Changmin had no choice but to pick up his son in his arms and carry him as fast as he could to his bedroom, Yunho following close behind.

Once they reached Changmin's bedroom, Yunho ordered for servants to bring hot bathwater into the room while Changmin busied himself, setting up a screen for Chanhyung to bathe behind. Soon, the servants were carrying a small tub of steaming bathwater into Changmin's room, and Changmin helped his son into the bath.

Chanhyung stayed in the bath until the water became cold and he was reasonably settled again.

"Are you ready to come out?" asked Changmin. Chanhyung swallowed and nodded, and Changmin held out a towel for his son to step into.

Changmin helped dress Chanhyung in comfortable robes while Yunho turned down the bed for him. They put the exhausted Chanhyung into bed, and once in bed, Chanhyung finally burst into tears, and seeing that, new tears slid down Changmin's face too; Changmin hadn't seen Chanhyung cry since he was a little boy, so it was even more heartbreaking for Changmin.

"Oh, Chanhyung," said Yunho with a sigh. He Chanhyung's forehead. "I remember when you were just a baby," whispered Yunho. "You've grown up so much. You've become a fine young man, Chanhyung. So strong and so brave. I'm so, so sorry. I… I can't even express how sorry I am that you and your family have to go through this because of mine. It's not fair, and I know that. It's not fair that you have to go through all of this."

Changmin wiped the tears from Chanhyung's face with his palm and looked at Yunho, whose presence, he thought, was not helpful at the moment.

"Go to bed, Yunho," said Changmin quietly. "I'll stay here with Chanhyung tonight."

Yunho hesitated a bit before nodded.

"You need rest too," said Yunho.

"I'll be fine. Go to bed."

Yunho nodded and swept Chanhyung's hair from his forehead.

"Take as long as you need to recover, Chanhyung," said Yunho quietly. "I'm so… so sorry." Chanhyung closed his eyes in thanks.

Chanhyung miraculously did fall asleep, although it did take hours, but Changmin didn't sleep a wink that night, just sitting in bed beside Chanhyung.

This should really have been Sungjun's job, but it was much too cruel to leave Chanhyung to be neglected the whole night, knowing that Sungjun didn’t love Chanhyung. So damn the consequences that might come his way, Changmin was going to take care of his baby son.

Chanhyung was still sleeping when the sun rose, and as much as Changmin wanted to spend the day with Chanhyung as well, he had duties to attend to in the morning.

So Changmin his son's head lovingly, and when his son opened his eyes a slit, he whispered to him. "Daddy's gotta go to work," he said. "I'll have the servant bring you breakfast, and you can stay in bed today."

Changmin paused, watching his son. "Will you be okay?"

"Wish you'd stay," whispered Chanhyung hoarsely. Changmin his head.

"I'll see if I can come back soon, sweetie."

Chanhyung nodded, and Changmin gave him a kiss on his cheek before tucking Chanhyung in again and reluctantly leaving the room.

Changmin was restless the entire morning after asking Yunho to send Chanhyung a breakfast table of his own, which Yunho chose to ignore. Yunho was expecting a visitor from China to discuss trade relations, and Changmin was helping Yunho get ready. Yunho hoped that things would go well, and it would be a miracle if they agreed to Yunho's terms, but he was not expectant in the slightest, and Yunho knew that the visitor was only here to present his own terms of the agreement. Knowing that, Yunho had given Sungjun responsibility over the visit. While Yunho hoped that Sungjun would do well, if he didn't, there would be very few consequences. If it was disastrous, it would probably involve Yunho making a trip to China himself to mediate, however, nothing would be unfixable.

Yunho did not plan on meeting with the visitor again after the greeting, but Changmin still helped Yunho get dressed in the official royal robes for the greeting in his bedroom after the breakfast. Changmin had done this countless times and with all his training and experience, he should have been able to do this with his eyes closed – however, he was so distracted today that he made a number of mistakes from tying the knots the wrong way to trying to place ornaments on the wrong side of the robe. Eventually, he ended up pricking Yunho's arm with the pin he was holding, actually drawing blood.

"Oh… Oops…" said Changmin, reaching for a hand cloth. "Sorry, Yunho."

Yunho found himself losing patience with his Mihwa; if this had been anyone else, anyone else, they would have thrown themselves on the floor, begging for Yunho to spare their life. But Yunho reeled back.

"Focus, Changmin," hissed Yunho.

"I'm trying," shot back Changmin while he dabbed at the wound. "I said I was sorry."

"Changmin –" warned Yunho, and Changmin looked up at Yunho's face for a split second, evidently realizing that he'd been close to crossing the line, even for Yunho.

"I'm sorry, Master," said Changmin, and he leaned forward to kiss Yunho on the lips, which, just by itself, made Yunho's head spin.

"You're going to be the death of me," managed Yunho. "Just focus for the morning, yes? I promised to dismiss you in the afternoon."

"Yes, Master."

Yunho sighed.

He hated himself for loving Changmin, he really did.

The welcome for the visit was clunky, and Yunho wondered what exactly happened. He found that while most of the subjects were there, the decorations were only halfway completed, and the feast began almost an hour late. Yunho had truly believed that his son would be capable, so this was a surprise to him.

"What happened, Sungjun?" asked Yunho once the ceremony was over and he was able to speak to his son alone. His son looked upset, no, furious, and Yunho wanted to make sure that Sungjun was still up for this.

"I –" said Sungjun, looking like he had something to say, but then he let out the breath. "I thought I had it all organized. I'm not sure what went wrong."

Yunho looked into his son's eyes.

"Are you going to be okay to lead the rest of the visit? I can take over if you aren't ready, Sungjun."

"No!" said Sungjun quickly and forcefully. "No, I can do it, father."

"All right. But don't push yourself too hard," said Yunho genuinely. Sungjun nodded, and Yunho gave his son a pat on the head before dismissing him.

Yunho sent Changmin to Sungjun fill in some of the gaping holes in Sungjun's plans, and the rest of the morning went quite smoothly. Changmin, being experienced, was also able to iron out the plans in quite a short amount of time as well, so that Sungjun would be able to complete the rest of the day with no issues. Sungjun looked upset as he sent Changmin back to Yunho, but Changmin didn't think much of it.

"How did it go?" asked Yunho once they were alone.

"It was fine," said Changmin quickly. "Sungjun had everything pretty well organized, and I just made sure everything was up and running. It's not bad for his first event."

"Good," said Yunho with a sigh of relief. "I think he'll be just fine."

Changmin nodded. "Yunho, may I leave now?" asked Changmin.

Yunho stared. "What?"

"I need to go and take care of Chanhyung now. You said you would dismiss me early today."

"Changmin, it's midday. You still have to scribe the Cabinet meeting."

"You can use a real scribe."                                                                

"You know I can't trust anyone else after what happened last time, with the man forging the notes."

"You banished the man from the city, remember?" retorted Changmin. "You have a new scribe, one that you've been paying to do absolutely nothing since he was hired."

"Changmin –" said Yunho, and Changmin had rarely seen Yunho be so annoyed. "Do you realize that I could have your head for what you're doing right now? That I could have put you to death ten different times today for how you've been acting?"

It was one thing to be put in his place, but another completely for Yunho to threaten him with death. Changmin closed his mouth.

"I love you, and you know that I would never hurt you. Never," said Yunho, looking into Changmin's eyes. "I also know that today's not an easy day for you. But you are my Mihwa, and I expect you to get your work done and be professional while I need you."

Changmin swallowed.

"Please behave," begged Yunho.

"Yes, Master," said Changmin automatically.

He could tell that Yunho still wasn't happy as he led Changmin out of the room for the Cabinet meeting.

Changmin was sitting at Yunho's feet at the Cabinet meeting that afternoon, scribing dutifully, when a servant rushed towards and whispered into his ear – "Your son's being beaten in the prince's courtyard right now, and it looks serious, Mihwa."

Changmin immediately felt blood drain from his face.

"F-For what," stuttered Changmin, so shocked that he couldn't keep his voice quite down. Yunho and a few Cabinet members turned their heads to look at Changmin.

"He is angry that Chanhyung didn't finish his work last night before retiring. He figures that's why the Welcome today was so disorganized."

Changmin's fingers felt numb as the servant retreated, and he reached for the skirt of Yunho's robes. Oh gods.

"What now, Changmin?" whispered the King with a frown.

The whole Cabinet was staring now.

"I – I –" stuttered Changmin, gripping Yunho's robe. "It's – It's Chanhyung –"

Yunho clenched his teeth and tugged his robe out of Changmin's hands.

"Shim Changmin, just leave," Yunho whispered. "Leave and do what you want. You're distracting the Cabinet."

When Changmin looked up at Yunho for confirmation – because whether or not Yunho actually meant this, Changmin was going to leave to take care of his son – Yunho glared.

"Get out," whispered Yunho. "That's what you want, isn't it? Just get out if you're going to act like a child."

It was obvious that Yunho really expected Changmin to beg for forgiveness on his knees and stay for the rest of the meeting, but Changmin was not going to take this dismissal lightly – not when Chanhyung was getting hurt, right now. So he actually got to his feet, bowed, and walked out on his shaky legs.

Changmin ran to Sungjun's courts, holding up his robes so that he could run faster.

It wasn't long until Changmin heard it – the sickening cracks of whip on flesh, and the sobbing of his son.

Once he got past the guards, he finally saw everything – Sungjun sitting on the chair on a pedestal and the servants crowding around a straw mat on the ground to watch as a guard brought down his whip on – Changmin's heart dropped – his son, kneeling on the mat with his head down, unclothed from waist up and curling his body in on himself. Blood covered his entire back, but still, the guard still had no sign of stopping –

Changmin's head was spinning, and he saw his vision fog over. He had to bite down on his cheek and curl his numb hands into fists not to pass out. He pushed past the crowd into Sungjun's view.

"P-Prince Sungjun," said Changmin, shaking his head. "What are you – What are you doing?"

The guard with the whip hesitated at Changmin's interruption, stopping the blows. Changmin bent down in the meanwhile towards his son, at his tear-streaked face and his mangled back. Changmin felt dizzy again as Chanhyung reached out weakly with his bound hands at Changmin.

Changmin was forbidden from bowing to Sungjun, but nothing mattered but Chanhyung. So Changmin knelt next to his son and touched his forehead to the floor.

"Your Highness, please have mercy, please –"

"Get out!" snapped Sungjun. "Out!"

Changmin raised his head to look at Sungjun right in the eye – the same child that Changmin helped raise, the one that he watched grow up. Changmin never knew that he would be begging to him on his knees.

Changmin didn't know what he was more upset about: the fact that his son was so hurt or the fact that it was Yunho's son who was causing the pain.

"Please have mercy on my son," whispered Changmin genuinely, tears filling his eyes. "Please. I beg you, Your Highness. Please have mercy."

It seemed to hit Sungjun, because Changmin had never, ever called Sungjun 'Your Highness' before, and the only person he's ever seen Changmin kneel to was Yunho.

Sungjun and Changmin just looked into each other's eyes, eventually Changmin bowing his head in submission. Sungjun finally spoke.

"Get up and take your son away," he ordered quietly.

Changmin had never moved so quickly in his life as he maneuvered to get his son on his back and out of the Prince's court.

"D-Dad…" Chanhyung let out a pained moan, and Changmin turned his head.

"You're going to be okay, honey," said Changmin urgently. "You're going to be okay."

Chanhyung let out another sob as the servant that had informed Changmin of the incident approached them again just outside Prince's court, looking terrified.

"Run and call for Kyuhyun. He's a physician here at the palace," said Changmin.

"But Mihwa –"

"Please. Quickly."

The servant ran off, and so did Changmin, up to his own bedroom.